a. and sb. Also 6–7 assaylant, -aunt. [a. F. assaillant, pr. pple. (also used subst.) of assaillir: see ASSAIL v. and -ANT.]
A. adj. Assailing, attacking, actively hostile. arch.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, 138. Assailant conqueror, this brave English king.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1693. And as an ev’ning Dragon came, Assailant on the perched roosts.
1855. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Lit., viii. (1878), 258. Such offensive, assailant unbelief as Gibbon’s and Hume’s.
B. sb.
1. He who, or that which, assails or attacks.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon (1883), 339. Ye assaylauntes were fayne parforce to recule backe.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 116. So shall we passe along, And neuer stir assailants.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Wars, 487. They threw down Stones upon the Assaylants heads.
1777. Johnson, Pope, Wks. IV. 90. His most frequent assailant was the headach.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 341. His guards rescued him and slew all the assailants.
† b. spec. One who challenged another to wager of battle; one who accepted the defiance of a champion to combat in the lists. Obs.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 315. Because he is the assailaunt … it lyeth in his choyce, to take eyther a ciuill or martiall tryall.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Preux, The first time he presents himselfe, as an assailant, in the Lists.
1627. Lisander & Cal., IX. 180. Spurring against the assailants, and the assailants against them.
2. A hostile critic, controversial opponent.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., Introd. 1. My Assailant takes the Liberty to recede from my Style.
a. 1764. R. Lloyd, Poet. Wks., 1774, II. 150. Rome’s fierce assailant.
1843. Mill, Logic, III. ix. 6. The assailants of the syllogism had also anticipated Dr. Whewell.
